Afternoon Chat
by queen misanagi
Summary: Three detectives and a thief walk into a cafe. This may sound like a beginning of a joke, but the following events definitely are not...


Disclaimer: I don't own Meitantei Conan or Magic Kaito… but if the rights to these wonderful creations were prizes for a raffle, I'd surely line up to buy tickets!

Author's Notes: Just something that I thought would be cute and troubling. Setting is after the fall of BO and everyone's happy and they're all friends! Heaven… Haha! Focus of the story is on dialogues, of course.

_If_ there is going to be a part two for this one, it'll be entitled "Midnight Phone Calls". All right… Ja ne!

o o o

_Afternoon Chat_

_(Kudou Shinichi's epiphany)_

One fine, sunny, Saturday afternoon in summer, three detectives and a thief walked into a café and all sat down to chat. Sounds like a beginning of a joke, ne? However, the following event is an excerpt from the lives of our protagonists…

"Baka! No pets allowed inside the café! Don't they know who we are? Sheesh! Besides, Watson isn't _just_ a pet! And she's probably better bred than some people I know…" said a blonde high school detective, who goes by the name of Hakuba Saguru.

"You better not be talking about me, Hakuba-kun or you may just find your precious hawk in one of my trap cages one of these days." Spat a teen with a very messy hair, who many do not know, transforms into the infamous Kaitou Kid whenever on heists. "You've seen the thing, ne? There's a button at the top that if pressed, brings the bars together – and splat! Watson is no more!"

The bandit followed the detailed execution with a menacing laugh.

A dark-skinned teen, who spoke in a heavy Osaka accent frowned. "I'm eating chicken – stop it with the gruesome stuff! Ne, Kudou-kun! You've picked out what you're eating yet? You've been staring at that menu for the last ten minutes!"

Hakuba shook his head. "Just three minutes and 23 seconds to be exact."

The thief rolled his eyes. "Are you sure you're just confused with what to eat – or did you forget how to read?" smirked Kuroba Kaito, the thief. "Don't tell me that getting your old body back had some side effects of some kind… Look, if you're really having trouble reading the menu, I'll help you."

The thief snatched the menu from a teenage boy, who looked very much like him.

"See? These are the choices for the cakes – there's chocolate, carrot – " he started pointing to the items on the menu. "Oh look! There are pictures! If the kind waiter comes, just point whatever you like, ne?"

The boy, who looked a lot like the thief, frowned as he snatched the menu back from his mischievous friend's hands. "Very funny, Kaito-kun." Was all that he said and he continued staring at the menu, as if it's some riddle that he has to solve.

"Leave Kudou-kun alone, Kuroba-kun!" said the blonde detective as he hit the thief at the back of the head with the other menu he's been holding.

"Ow!" screeched Kuroba Kaito, "You don't need to be so brutal, Hakuba-kun! See - Watson is getting upset!" he said, pointing to the hawk perched on the blonde detective's left shoulder. The teenage bandit was right – the hawk started to create quite a noise.

"Hakuba-san, can you control that bird? The other customers are starting to look at us… and oi! The manager is approaching the table as well." Said a very worried Hattori Heiji, the dark-skinned detective, who was also known as the detective of the west. "And Kudou-kun, hurry up making your mind, will you?"

"I feel that something's bothering tantei-san." Supposed Hakuba, petting his hawk to coax it.

"Which tantei?" asked Kaito, ruffling his own head – a sure sign that he's confused. "Aurgh! This is the problem with being with three detectives at the same time! You guys are just too – "

Kaito felt a tap on his shoulder. As he turned around, he sensed that he has to put on his poker face.

"Konnichiwa, manager-san! Lovely café you've got here. And these complimentary iced teas are quite a treat!" he said. "We've finished ordering, well, not completely. But – "

The manger's lips curled into a frown. "I am not concerned about your order but of the bird this boy brought. I have already tolerated you young boys bringing such a creature into my café but I will not be lenient if it's creating a ruckus that could disrupt the other customers!" the manger said hotly, not noticing that the tone of his voice attracted the attention of other customers.

"Manager-san, I think they're more distracted by you…" said Kaito under his breath, in a sing-song voice. Hakuba heard this, though, and he elbowed him.

"Sumimasen," said the manger to the other customers.

"We promise you that the bird will behave, manager-san. It's just that Kuroba-kun here has upset him." Said Heiji.

"Really, Hattori-kun! It wasn't my fault – " Kaito stopped upon seeing the change in the manager's face.

"Hattori? Hattori Heiji – detective of the west?" His eyes widened as he stepped back from the table. "And this must be – " he pointed to Hakuba. "blond hair – Hakuba Saguru? From Britain? Son of Hakuba-keibu?"

He pointed to Kaito and Shinichi next. "And you two are… twins!"

Shinichi showed no reaction but continued staring at the menu. Kaito stood up and crossed his arms. "Manager-san! I am so much better-looking than that buffoon! But if you really want to know, that's Kudou Shinichi, detective of the east! And I'm Kuroba Kaito, son of Kuroba Toichi the magician!"

The manger nodded. "Sumimasen. I did think that he is Kudou-tantei – it's just that I saw you and I knew that Kudou-tantei doesn't have a twin… And Kuroba-sama! Yes I've seen his shows…"

"A forgivable mistake." Said Hakuba-kun. "It's the 198th time I heard someone say that, 12th time this month, 8th time this week, 3rd time today."

Kaito rolled his eyes again and Heiji suppressed a laugh. Shinichi was still motionless.

"Oh! You really are great detectives!" said the manager. He clapped his hands in awe. "I'll treat you all! Everything you've ordered will be on the house! Order anything! Please, please, eat as much as you like! My café is happy to have you!"

"Domo arigatou, manager-san!" said Hakuba, Hattori and Kuroba in chorus. Kudou, on the other hand, raised his hand.

"I know what to order now. I'll have this angel cake, please. Triple chocolate, ne?" he asked. The others turned their heads toward him, surprised that the detective finally spoke up.

"Hai. Right away, tantei-san." Bowed the manger. After taking note of the order, he handed it to a passing waiter, and walked back to his office.

When the four boys were finally left alone, they resumed their conversation.

"Oi, Kudou! Glad you finally spoke up!" said Hattori. "What's wrong with you? What happened back there?"

Hakuba tutted. "We're detectives, Hattori-kun! How about we figure it out on ourselves?"

Hattori nodded. "Sounds like a good idea! First one who gets it right wins the privilege of exposing Kaito as KID!"

"HEY!" Kaito frowned. "Ok then, I agree and fortunately for me, I have already figured out what bothered Shinichi-kun!"

Saguru raised an eyebrow while Shinichi grinned. "Really, Kaito-kun? Let's hear it then!"

Kaito cleared his throat. "You proposed to Ran using the angel cake. You placed the ring inside the cake. You did it in Hawaii last week, ne? You probably remembered your proposal or something and I'm guessing that her response is something you haven't anticipated 'cause it looks like you're still in shock…"

Shinichi scoffed. "I thought that that café in Hawaii was the only one who served angel cake. Hai, I was a bit of shocked to see the same item offered here."

Heiji managed to cover his mouth, possibly to stop a very loud gasp. "Sou desu ka! I heard from Kazuha that Ran was fussing over a – she probably knows about the proposal and haven't told me! That Kazuha!"

Saguru extended a hand, which Shinichi shook. "I knew you were going to ask her one of these days! Congratulations, Kudou-kun!"

"Thanks." Said Shinichi, letting go of Hakuba's hand. He stared into the distance before adding, "but she didn't say yes…"

There was a momentary pause before uproar broke out.

"NANI?!" Hakuba and Hattori were in shock. Both of them almost dropped the iced tea they were holding.

The thief smirked. "Ha! I knew that! And you call yourselves detectives?"

Hakuba and Hattori shot Kuroba dagger stares and these daggers may as well have materialized if I weren't for the arrival of the waiter, who brought them their order. Heiji, as he said, was having chicken. Saguru was having vegetable salad with Italian dressing. Kaito was having chocolate-banana crepe with ice cream on top, and Kudou was having the angel cake.

The very hungry detectives and thief started on their meals and Heiji, for one, finished his plate in a heartbeat. Hakuba ate like a refined gentleman, and Kudou played with the white icing of the cake with his fork. It seems as if the boys were very focused on eating that they fell into silence once again.

"Ano, Kudou, she did say that she'll wait… ne?" started Kaito because the silence was starting to scare him.

Shinichi nodded. "I mean, I'll be studying in America for college and she'll be left here and a lot of things could happen. Asking her right now is a very stupid idea. I see it now."

Heiji banged the tale with his fist and it didn't take long before everyone's eyes were cast upon their table again.

"Don't feel stupid, man! You've done what any boy would do – you love her and you proposed to her! If she said no, then that's her problem!"

Hakuba took a sip of water. "Hattori-kun has a point. I'm a romantic myself and though I wouldn't have done the same thing, I can sympathize."

"No need to comfort me. I'm fine. It's just that – "

There was a poof! And a red rose appeared in Kaito's hand. He offered it to Shinichi. "_It's just that_ you need something to take your mind off things and that's exactly why you invited all of us to a boys' day out? That you wanted us to talk about our future? That you're worried that all of us may not see each other again and that time may break all of us apart?"

Shinichi grinned, took the rose and placed it on the red-checkered tablecloth. He sighed before saying, "I'm finally a believer that magician can read minds. Kaito-kun, I think you know me too much."

"Two years, Shinichi-kun! Two years, about a million cases, winter holiday trips, and you're still surprised?" Kaito shook his head. "And who's the detective again?"

Saguru and Heiji shot Kaito dagger stares again.

"Fine, fine! I'll stop saying that. Cut me some slack, detectives! Maa, why don't we focus on Shinichi-kun's problem at hand? What if we – "

"How do you see yourselves ten years from now?" suddenly cut in Shinichi.

Heiji took a bite of the chicken. "Ano, somewhere still in the police force, probably. But if that doesn't go well, I'm betting on teaching Kendo for a living."

"As for me," said Saguru as he fed Watson his leftover. "My dream workplace has always been the CIA. I don't know Kendo but I do know fashion. I've been to Paris fashion week so many times. So I'll go for being a model, or an actor – everyone I know has told me I have expressive eyes, anyway."

Kaito slumped on his seat and rolled his eyes. "Riiight… If that fails, you can get in the circus and show off Watson." He said as he took a bite of his crepe.

Saguru coughed. "At least I have a plan. And you? What do you plan to do with your life, huh?"

Then, everyone's eyes suddenly zoomed in on Kaito.

"Me?" he mumbled as he was still chewing. "Ano, I just want to finish what otou-san started, okay? My life's too unpredictable and I just gotta flow and fly to wherever the wind takes me."

The others looked impressed.

"So Kudou, how about you?" Heiji queried.

Shinichi sighed and it was evident that he was giving this a lot of thought. As he gazed on the beautifully checkered tablecloth, he muttered, "I want a peaceful life. I just don't know why dead bodies keep falling all around me. Solving mysteries have always been part of my life and I'd never feel complete without it, but sometimes, I think that I'm some bad omen, you know?"

The table grew quiet… again, as they didn't know how to respond to this.

Kaito kept eating and when he was finished, he took the empty plate and balanced it on his nose.

"Oi, oi! Kaito! You shouldn't be doing that! Stop before the other customers and manager-san might see you! Experienced as you are, the plate might fall!" said a very worried Shinichi, who tried to snatch the plate from his friend. Saguru and Heiji did the same.

"Kaito! The plate might fall and break!!!" said Shinichi, exasperated.

Kaito turned to Shinichi and said, "Really?" and the plate fell. The clatter that reverberated throughout the quaint, dimly lighted café made Watson feel uneasy and she started creating a hubbub. The other guest were curious enough to check out what's happening at their table and started whispering things like, "Kids today aren't disciplined…" and "Kids today are such show-offs…"

The manager heard the noise and started to walk towards their table.

"Kaito!!!" the three detectives screamed in anger.

"The manager's coming! Oh no! Bye, bye free meal!"

"Aren't you mature enough to know not to play with plates – Ever since we were in high school you – "

"Kaito, you were trying to show me something, were you?" suddenly asked Shinichi.

Kaito smirked, his poker face still on.

"Kudou-tantei, I broke the plate. Sumimasen. And it's not your fault, ne? Plates like that one break everyday, everywhere." And as he said this, sounds of breaking plates erupted from every table, and even in the kitchen. It was pandemonium and the women started shouting.

"It is up to you…" Kaito continued, "If you will let the shards hurt you… But bleeding is cleansing, too, once in a while." He said and the others were stunned.

"Ja ne. I have to go to the bathroom for a moment. About Ran-kun, I suggest you follow your instinct. A woman likes a man who shows his heart." And with this, he stepped on the shards of the plate and disappeared into the chaotic crowd that were running around the café.

"You know what?" said Saguru, who finished calming Watson. "Kaito says the stupidest and the most annoying things but there are times when he can be really poetic… and profound."

Heiji nodded. "Yeah, the moonlight magician never fails to surprise us."

Shinichi remained silent. His gaze now fell upon the rose at the table. _Kaito's rose_… He remembered the first day they met. He was in the helicopter, and Kaito was hanging by the hands of a clock. _Were you telling me something then, Kaito-kun? _

"Kudou, I agree with what that fool has to say about Ran. If you want, we could investigate so we can come up with a plan to convince Ran to come with you to America." Saguru suggested. "That's what you want, ne? And – "

"Hey, I've just realized – do we have to pay for the broken things?" quipped Heiji, who suddenly stood up. He looked around and the cafe was still in deep mayhem. "I'm starting to pity manager-san who's calming everybody down. And hey, some are running out of the café!"

Shinichi smiled. "Kaito always clean up his act. Let's see what he'll do about this."

Almost as if Shinichi uttered the magic word, pink smoke came out of the hanging lamps. The three detectives heard successive sounds of bodies falling to the ground.

When the smoke cleared out, everyone in the café was sleeping soundly (except our three detectives, of course) and all the broken plates were miraculously reconstructed – except one. It was the plate that Kaito has balanced on his nose.

"I guess we really have to pay for that one." Said Heiji with a heavy sigh. "I'm guessing Kaito put something in our foods so we would be immune to the sleeping gas."

Saguru nodded and took money out of his wallet.

"Iie, let me pay for it." Shinichi offered.

"So, what's our plan now?" Heiji asked, stooping around the motionless bodies on the floor. "You want to get on with the plan with Ran? And is Kaito still on the bathroom?"

"If we leave now, manager-san will think we've caused this. And it'll be bad rep!" said Saguru. "That Kaito!"

Shinichi shook his head. "Kaito left a note. I found it under the rose. He said he's been experimenting with a new smoke bomb that also makes you forget the past hours or so. So manager-san and the rest of the people here will forget that we're ever here. And Kaito has left, of course."

"Where did he go?" asked both Heiji and Saguru.

"I think I know." Shinichi said, winking. "C'mon, we better get out of this place as well. We have important matters to discuss and schemes to iron out. Who's with me?"

Heiji and Saguru looked at each other disdainfully and raised their hands.

"As if we have a choice." They said at the same time.

Shinichi put his arms around them. "I have only a few months left here in Japan – c'mon, let's all make the most of it!"

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" asked Heiji and they all laughed.

They all exited the very, very still café.

Out in the street, Shinichi remembered something. He excused himself, ran back into the café and picked up the rose Kaito gave. It was still lying on their table like the very definition of beauty in a battlefield. Sleeping customers and service people dotted every part of the café.

Shinichi looked around before epiphany dawned on him. It took him one glance at the rose to realize the elegiac truth that Kaito hid within his set-up.

"You are something, Kaito…" He said then smelled the rose's sweet perfume before pocketing it.

o o o


End file.
